I understand some of the benefits of cover crops but I would like to point out some of the negatives too.
1. In order to plant into cover crops you will have to spray them to kill them which could lead to more resistance to chemicals and actually increase chemical usage.
2. Cover crops do use water to grow which could limit the following crop causing a loss. You don't ever get something for nothing.
3. You can't plant cover crops on soil that is to wet to get on, only improved drainage (surface, tile) will solve these issues. You don't build a house without a good foundation.
4. More fuel usage will be required to seed and to spray the cover crop and also the land use to raise the seed. Also more equipment will be needed because more people have switched to row crop equipment.
5. In northern climates you are limited by time and growing season. Sometimes your lucky to get your main crop through the growing season.
I would hope our tax dollars would be used to find permanate "real world" solutions based on sound and proven science like drainage and irrigation developement. That is the technology we promote in developing countries. It seems sometimes we are undermining our own ag economy here.

Posted by Young Farmer at
8:25AM CST 02/25/13

All I can say, 'Young Farmer', is that plenty of data exists, both from research and practical experience, to refute every objection you put forth. But if you are convinced that cover crops will not work, then they will not work for you. If you want to sink hundreds of thousands of dollars (I won't call it an investment, because that would imply that it is a wise financial decision) into "solutions" like drainage and irrigation, you're welcome to do so. But the farmers with sustainable cropping systems using continuous no-till and cover crops will be waiting to get your land at fire-sale prices when you can no longer afford to pump from a diminishing aquifer, or when you have to shut down your drainage system because it has been identifiend as a point source of nutrient pollution.

Posted by Bill Kuenstler at
1:17PM CST 02/26/13

Sorry Bill I just deal in facts and sense.

Posted by Young Farmer at
6:24PM CST 02/26/13

Bill Kuenstler? NRCS in Colorado? Biased opinion? No real world experience other than projects that use taxpayers money?
Mike from North Dakota

Posted by Michael Martin at
8:22PM CST 02/26/13

To Young Farmer, please take the time to read some research and information on cover crops. Some of your assumptions are true, but others are not accurate. To be clear, some cover crops require tillage or herbicide to terminate, but others are frost terminated, requiring no additional herbicide. Additionally, research shows cover crops reduce weed populations. So spraying a cover crop can replace having to spray for weeds later in the growing season. Second, it is true that cover crops use water during the growing phase, but once terminated, the vegetative cover conserves more water for the commodity crop than the water used during cover crop growth. And let's not discount the soil health benefits of cover crops of improving percolation and soil organic matter which allow soils to absorb more water to be available for the commodity crop. In terms of fuel use, keep in mind that cover crops are not simply an add on to existing practices. In many ways, cover crops can replace other steps, providing a fuel savings. Please be sure to look on both sides of the coin on that issue. And yes, northern climates have fewer growing degree days than southern climates, but farmers everywhere (from Canada to Mexico) are able to make cover crops work to improve their soil and their profit. While Young Farmer may not be interested in these details, I thought it is important to others to clarify some of these points.

Posted by Ryan Stockwell at
9:47AM CST 02/27/13

Ryan and Bill I was just stating the facts. You can't shingle a house if it doesn't even have a foundation or the rafters up.

Posted by Young Farmer at
5:06PM CST 02/28/13

Examining Double Cropping and Biotech Coexistence

USDA is spending a lot of time and resources working on issues such as cover (double) cropping and co-existence of biotech and non-biotech crops.[Read Full Blog Post]

I understand some of the benefits of cover crops but I would like to point out some of the negatives too. 1. In order to plant into cover crops you will have to spray them to kill them which could lead to more resistance to chemicals and actually increase chemical usage. 2. Cover crops do use water to grow which could limit the following crop causing a loss. You don't ever get something for nothing. 3. You can't plant cover crops on soil that is to wet to get on, only improved drainage (surface, tile) will solve these issues. You don't build a house without a good foundation. 4. More fuel usage will be required to seed and to spray the cover crop and also the land use to raise the seed. Also more equipment will be needed because more people have switched to row crop equipment. 5. In northern climates you are limited by time and growing season. Sometimes your lucky to get your main crop through the growing season. I would hope our tax dollars would be used to find permanate "real world" solutions based on sound and proven science like drainage and irrigation developement. That is the technology we promote in developing countries. It seems sometimes we are undermining our own ag economy here.

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Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:00 AM CDTA number of agriculture interest groups are among 269 organizations that asked President Barack Obama Wednesday to stop the release of more stringent national ambient air quality standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, set for release sometime this year.

Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:35 AM CDTThe White House announced Monday it was launching an initiative highlighting the "American Business Act on Climate Pledge. The effort spotlighted 13 large American companies pushing for action on climate change. The announcement had some emphasis on agriculture, food processing and continued opportunities for landowners to make money through renewable energy, particularly expanded wind production.

Thu Jul 23, 2015 01:44 PM CDTUSDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service is launching a conservation survey of farmers and ranchers to get an idea of what kinds of practices farmers are implementing, according to a news release from USDA.

Wed Jul 22, 2015 02:50 PM CDTEnvironmentalists and others who contend the only way to reduce nutrients runoff into the Gulf of Mexico is through regulation, may not be happy with the release of the final Illinois nutrient loss reduction strategy Tuesday that is a virtual copy of the Iowa strategy hammered on by critics as 'too soft.'

Mon Jul 20, 2015 01:17 PM CDTFor a third-consecutive year a cover crops survey of 1,200 farmers across the country continue to see bumps in corn and soybean yields following the use of cover crops. In addition, the Conservation Technology Information Center Cover Crop Survey recorded an increase in the number of cover crop acres planted nationwide.

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Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:30 AM CDTI got an email over the weekend from my congressman, an enthusiastic freshman, who is boasting that Congress, as a government agency, has cut its own budget. Other government agencies should do the same.

Thu Jul 9, 2015 01:30 PM CDTA bill that would make significant cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency budget was grounded Thursday, after Republican members objected to an amendment passed by voice vote Tuesday night to ban the Confederate flag at national cemeteries, according to The Hill.

Tue Jul 7, 2015 11:33 AM CDTThe American Farm Bureau Federation sent a letter Monday to every member of the House of Representatives asking lawmakers to "reject any proposals that amend, repeal, defund or otherwise modify or interfere with the Renewable Fuels Standard."

Wed Jul 1, 2015 02:42 PM CDTThe U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba praised the announcement Wednesday by President Barack Obama that the U.S. and Cuba will officially re-establish diplomatic relations on July 20 with the re-opening of respective embassies.

Mon Jun 29, 2015 05:06 PM CDTIt would generally be considered a pretty rare occurrence that the National Cattlemen's Beef Association finds itself in agreement with the group Food & Water Watch. But the two disparate groups nonetheless find themselves equally appalled at USDA for allowing imported beef from northern Argentina and 14 states Brazil known for FMD outbreaks.

Fri Jun 26, 2015 11:59 AM CDTLeaders from the group AGree this week called on Congress to take a top-to-bottom review of agricultural research in the country. AGree's leaders issued a paper breaking down issues surrounding research and development in agriculture and food production. The group AGree was formed to seek consensus among different stakeholders on policy areas important to agriculture.

Wed Jun 24, 2015 02:24 PM CDTSenate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and his committee's ranking member, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, head into a hearing Thursday clearly divided on the issue of country-of-origin labeling for meat. Roberts is pushing for full repeal of the labels while Stabenow is pitching a voluntary approach to the problem.

Tue Jun 16, 2015 08:44 AM CDTAhead of a scheduled June 25 public hearing in Kansas City, Kansas, on the Renewable Fuel Standard Iowa's Congressional delegation is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to host a public hearing in Iowa.

Fri Jun 12, 2015 12:51 PM CDTThe House Energy and Commerce Committee will weigh in on the debate over biotech labeling laws next week with a hearing over legislation by Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas.

Wed Jun 10, 2015 09:33 PM CDTThe House voted 300 to 131 to repeal country of origin labels for meat. While the bill now goes to the Senate, the House vote represents a victory for Canadian and Mexican livestock producers.